Which infection control measure is appropriate for clients with droplet precautions?

Wearing a surgical mask is the appropriate infection control measure for clients with droplet precautions because it helps prevent the transmission of pathogens that can be spread through respiratory droplets when the infected person talks, coughs, or sneezes. Droplet precautions are specifically designed to protect against these large particles, which typically travel short distances.

In a healthcare setting, wearing a surgical mask serves as a barrier that reduces the likelihood of inhaling these infectious droplets. This is crucial, especially when caring for patients with respiratory infections like influenza or COVID-19, where droplet transmission is a significant concern.

In contrast, gloves, while important for other types of precautions, do not address airborne pathogens that can be transmitted through droplets. Disposable equipment may reduce the risk of spreading infections, but it is not specific to droplet precautions alone. The measure of maintaining a distance of six feet is more relevant for airborne precautions, where smaller droplet nuclei remain suspended in the air over longer distances, rather than for droplet precautions that focus on larger respiratory droplets.